Car-coupling



(No Model.)

B. BURGLIN.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented Deo. 5, 1893.

,Jay

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNHARD BURGLIN, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,872, dated December5, 1893.

Application filed September 12, 1893. Serial No. 485,360. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, BERNHARD BURGLIN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State ofTexas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame. f

Thisiinvention relates to car-couplings, and has for its object tofacilitate the coupling of cars without danger to life and limb of thetrainmen or railroad employs by providing an automatic mechanism whichmay be partially operated from the side or top of the car, to which thecoupling is applied, to place the latter in position for connection.

The invention consists of the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed. i

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the endof a car, showing the improved coupling applied thereto. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view on the line :1a-0c Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is askeleton perspective View showing the interior mechanism in full line,and the draw-head in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective viewof a link employed in connection with the coupling. Fig. 5 is a pinprovided with a cam for actuating the gate or door.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the draw-head of theordinary form of construction, having a link slot 2, and pin openings 3,to receive a pin 4l having a head 5, with an eye therethrough, andattached by a chain 6 to a suitable crank-arm 7, carried by a shaft orrod 8 secured to the end of the car in proximity to the draw-head, andsu pplied With handles 9 at the opposite ends, which may be readilyengaged at opposite sides of the car. A chain, or other device, 11,

may be also attached to the said crank-arm, and extended upwardly to thetop from said point, and the device is thereby made especially useful inconnection with what are known as box cars. In the said draw-head isformed another opening 12, which is broadened or increased in dimensionin the form of a slot in the lower part of said draw-head, to adjustablyreceive a pin 13, having a lower cam 1-'1 with an upper inclined edge15. The cam of the said pin 13, is comparatively thin, but extends aconsiderable distance in width, and pivotally mounted in the saiddraw-head is a gate or door 15', which is formed with a front concaveface 16, and a rear curved surface which engages the said cam during theoperation of coupling. The said gate or door in the act of coupling,closes over the link opening in the draw-head, and when the link strikesthe same, it forces the said gate or door backwardly into the draw-head,and, acting on the upper inclined edge of the cam on the pin 13,forcesthe said cam downwardly and draws the said pin 13 to its seat. Themovement of the said pin 13 is imparted to the coupling pin 4E by meansof a chain or other conncction,secured to the upper end of the said pin13, and to the crank-arm heretofore set forth which draws the said armdownwardly, and allows the pin 4. to drop by gravity through the linkand thereby automatically completes the coupling.

As shown in Fig. 4, the link 17 is of substantially ordinary form withthe exception that it is thickened at its opposite ends, as at 18, andthe opposite ends thereof are concaved as at 19, in order to retain thepin in its horizontal position, when carried by one draw-head, andcoupling with another. This operation of holding the link in ahorizontal position is also facilitated by making the link opening inthe draw-head extend slightly down below the mouth of the said opening,and allow the thickened portions at the opposite ends of the link toextend downward into the lower part of said link opening, and balancethe said link. i

The device as a Whole, will be found to be exceptionally positive andsafe in its operation, either in uncoupling orin coupling, and can bereadilyapplied to draw-heads already in use, without a great amount ofextra labor or manipulation or change in construction of the ordinaryform of head.

l-Iaving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In acar-coupling, the combination of a IOO coupling pin; ya link; a door,pivotallyrnountt ed in said Ydraw-head, and adapted to close overthersaidropening; an eXtra pin, having a lower cam to operate inconjunction to the gate or door; a rotatable shaft or rod, securedagainst the end of the car; a crank-arm, attached thereto; and means forconnecting the said pins with the crank-arm; substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, having a Ylinkopening therein, which is slightly depressed below the level of thelower part of the mouth of the saine; and a link, having its oppositeends increased in thickness, and its long side concaved, to there-l byhold the said link in horizontal position;

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

Y B. BURG'LIN.n

Witnesses:

EDWARD HADY, ROBERT STRACH.

